Expansible wheel



Dec. 19, 1933.

J. M. MASON EXPANS IBLE WHEEL Filed Dec. 24. 1931 Patented Dec. 19, 1933UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE V V EXPANSIBLE WHEEL James M. Mason,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor, by mesnev assignments, to Kennard N. Ware,

Drexel Hill, 1 a as trustee Application December 24, 1931 Serial No.583,045

Claims. (c1. 51, 190) This invention relates to improvementsinexpansible 'Wheels and more particularly to expansible wheels of thetype set forth in my prior application filed February 28, 1928, SerialNo. 257,690 for Expansible wheel.

In the application above identified, I have described a type'ofresilient wheel including a resilient annulus mounted upon an expansiblecircular supporting structure, the structure being bound together bymeans including elements for expanding theannulus to cause it to fitwithin a sanding, bufiing'or other treating band placed abouttheannulus.

One object of the invention is the production of a device of thischaracter in which the expansion-providing means is of such nature thatthe annulus is substantially uniformly anchored and expanded throughoutits length and there'is no necessity for balancing, grinding orotherwise treating the outer surface of the tire after expansion. Q

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of thischaracter which may be relatively cheaply manufactured, which will bedurable and efficient in service and a general improvement in the art.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I haveshown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of San expansible wheel constructed inaccordance with my inventiona portion of the side plate being brokenaway to show the interior construction;

Figure 2 is'a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the assembledwheel; and

Figure 3 is a similar section through a slightly modified construction.

Rferring'now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of'the drawing, thewheel comprises an expansible peripheral annulus 10, an annular seriescomprising a multiplicity of rim-forming elements or supports 11 forsaid annulus, a guide 12 for the supports 11, and a combined expandingand clamping means 13 for expanding the annulus by radially moving thesupports 11 thereof and for clamping the supports 11 in the expandedposition of the annulus.

The annulus 10 preferably consists of resilient rubber of a good gradeand has embedded therein the rim-forming head portions 14 of thesupports 11. The supports 11 each comprises a transversely-extendingradially-directed flat plate formed to provide the head portion 14hereinbefore referred to and an inward extension or neck 15 which isconnected to the head portion at the center thereof. The lower faces ofthe head portion at opposite sides of the neck portion converge inwardlyupon this neck portion as at 16 and the end faces of the head portionare notched to provide outwardly-facing shoulders 17. The inner ends ofthe neck portions have at opposite faces thereof projections providingoutwardly-facing shoulders 18. The purpose of the shoulders 17 and 18will hereinafter appear; 7

The neck portionhas formed thereina central slot 19 opening through itsinner end while the head portionhas formed therein relatively largeports 20, the ports 20 serving to permit passage of relatively largeportions of the body of the annulus 10 so that the head portions arefirmly anchored in the annulus and a substantially radial bearingsurface is provided between opening 22. It will be obvious that supports11 are capable of radial movement upon the'plate 21 but will be heldagainst canting so that the heads -14 will always be in predeterminedrelation to the axis of the plate '21 and, accordingly, the annulus 10will befree from unevenness resulting from canting of these plates.noted that plate 21 through engagement with the runner ends of slots 19serves as a means forlimiting contraction of the annulus 10.

I Theexpanding and clamping'structure comprises a pair of dished sideplates each including a conic side wall 23 and a bottom wall 24. The

side wall 23 is inclined to the axis of the side plate with the sameinclination as the inner edges of the heads 14 and has at its outerextremity a hooked flange 25 adapted to engage over and tightly fitagainst the shoulders 17 of the supports 11 when the side wall 23 isfully seated against the faces 16 and has forced the supports 11outwardly to the greatest possible extent.

The bottom wall 24 is pressed to form a groove 26 the inner wall ofwhich, at the time when the It will be flange 25 is engaged with theshoulders 1'7, similarly engages against the shoulders 18. The centralportion of the bottom of each side plate is preferably reinforced asindicated at 28 and has formed therein an axial opening 29. The openings29 of the side plates, and 22 of the guide plate 21 permit passage of adriving spindle 30 having fixed and movable clamping element-s indicatedat 31 and 32 for shifting the side plates inwardly to expand the supportseries and the annulus and to clamp the side plates upon the supportseries and upon the plate 21. The side plates as in the constructionillustrated in the prior application above finentioned have theircentral portions slightly resilient so that they may, after looking therim elements firmly in position, be caused to clamp upon plate 21. Itwill be obvious that the conic side walls 23 of the side plates will, bytheir engagement with the converging faces 16 of the head portions,cause these head portions to be forced outwardly against the yieldingresistance-of annulus 10 until proper locking of the heads issecured.

It will be obvious that an-expansible wheel of this character may-bereadily produced by simply arranging the support series 11 and theguiding plate 21 thereof inamold in which the resilient annulus is to beformedand then molding the annulus, with the result that the materialforming'the annulus passes through the ports'20 form'- ing relativelyheavy bonds between the supports and the annulus. It will be obviousthat by employing a multiplicity of the supports 11 the variationresulting in the circumference from expansion of the supportseriesandconsequent expansion of the annulus will be'slight enough sothat it will not materially afiect the trueness of the periphery of thewheelso that any necessity for finishing the annulus is eliminated. Itwill, of course,be understood that it is contemplated to employ-awheelof this character in combination with treating bands 33 withinwhich the wheel is expanded so that slight-inequalities resulting fromthe-molding or otherwise, will'be compensated for and renderedunnoticeable in the structure-as actually employed. In the form shown inFigure 3, the guiding-structure comprises an assembly of two similarplates 34 between theparallel peripheral portions 35 of which the neckportions 15 extend. These peripheral portions have'inturned'flanges 36against which the shoulders '18 of the neck engage in the expandedwheel. This, of course, eliminates the necessity for the grooves 26 0fthe side plates which are accordingly providedsimply withthe conicportions 23 and their hook flanges 25. Flanges 36 by their engagementwith the head at the junction of the head with=the;neckwill limitcontraction of the annulus when the side plates are withdrawn.

Since the arrangement hereinbefore described is capable of certainmodifications and rearrangements without in any manner departing fromthe spirit of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising a rim including amultiplicity of concentered, transversely-extending, radially movableflat plates; a resilient annulus in which the outer-ends of said platesare embedded and anchored, and a pair of side members co-operating withsaid plates for expanding the rim and anchoring the inner ends of saidplates.

2. Apparatus of the type described comprising a rim including amultiplicity of concentered, transversely-extending, radially movablefiat plates; a resilient annulus in which the outer ends of said platesare embedded and anchored;

a pair of side members co-operating with said plates for expanding therim, said plates including inwardly extending portions adapted to beengaged by. said side-members-andmeans engaging said inwardly-extendingportionspreventing displacement of the plates-in thegeneral direction ofthe axis or" the wheel.

3. Apparatus of the type describedcomprising a rim including amultiplicity of concentered, transversely-extending, radially .movableflat plates; a resilient annulus in which the outer ends of said platesare embeddedand anchored; a pair of side members co-operating with saidplates for expanding the rim, said platesincluding inwardly extendingportions adapted to be engaged by said side members-and means-engagingsaid inwardly-extending portions preventing displacement of the platesin the general direction of the axis of the wheel and limiting radialcontraction of the rim when theside members-are withdrawn to permitcontraction of the rim.

4. Apparatus of the type described comprising a rim including amultiplicity of concentered, transversely-extending, radially movablevflat plates; a resilient annulus in which the outer ends of said platesare embedded-and anchored; a pair of side members co-operating with saidplates for expanding the rim, said plates including inwardly extendingplane end portions-and means engaging said inwardly-extending portionspreventingdisplacement of the plates in the general direction of theaxis of the wheel-and limiting radial movement of the plates duringcontraction or expansion of the rim.

5. Apparatus of the type described comprising a rim including amultiplicity of concentered, transversely-extending, radially movableIfiat plates; the outerends of said plateshavingcircumf erentiallydirected openings formed therein, an elastic annulus molded aboutsaidlrimvand having portions extending through the openings of saidplates and a pair of side-members cooperating with said plates forexpanding-the rim and anchoring the inner ends of said plates.

JAMES M. MASON.

